Chapter 47
“From now on, Didi, you have to call me Mary. Okay?”
“Okay, Mary.”
Hearing him call my name made me smile again.
He smiled brightly too.
‘Wow, this feels really good!’
I finally had a name.
This was the first name that was really mine, except for one from a previous life that I hardly remembered.
No one had ever known me before. I was always alone. But Dedrick had stamped my existence into this world.
From the moment he first saw me, he had saved me in a way.
I was so grateful that he recognized me.
At that moment, Dedrick shivered slightly.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m a little cold.”
Was the window open?
But no, the window was firmly shut. The temperature didn’t seem much different from yesterday either.
Still, Dedrick was really shivering even though he was holding my hand tightly.
I let go of his hand and opened my arms.
“Come here, Marilyn will keep you warm!”
He laughed and hugged me tightly.
“My body temperature is higher than normal, so if you ever feel cold, just hug me. Okay?”
“Okay. My body temperature is a little low…”
He said it like an excuse, but I just laughed and exclaimed,
“Then when I’m too hot, I’ll hug you instead!”
At that, Dedrick’s face brightened, and he eagerly nodded.
“Yes…! That works!”
Just then, the sound of horse hooves echoed faintly.
We moved to the window and saw several carriages arriving one after another.
They were nobles coming to attend the banquet.
“They’re arriving earlier than expected.”
“They want to look around first. There’s a lot to see in the Grand Duke’s castle.”
“When you become an adult, Didi, show me around everywhere.”
“Okay, I promise I’ll take you everywhere.”
Dedrick said it seriously, and I chuckled, turning back to the window.
I wondered when the heroine would arrive.
‘Maybe she’s already in one of those carriages.’
Originally, Dedrick was supposed to be humiliated at the banquet, run away to hide in a corner, and meet the heroine there.
‘But I’m going to ruin the Grand Duchess’s plan.’
That means the event where Dedrick meets the heroine won’t happen.
Then how will they meet?
If I change the course of the story, will they still somehow find each other, or will nothing happen?
If the original story has its own force, then they’ll meet no matter what, won’t they?
‘That would be bad for me.’
Because if that force exists, it means my tragic fate will come true no matter what…
I shook my head.
No need for such gloomy thoughts.
Nobles often open their mansions for grand banquets.
And among them, the most popular ones are held at the Grand Duke’s castle.
‘Today’s the day I finally see the heroine!’
Since guests usually stayed in the annex, I couldn’t see her right away.
I had no idea when she had arrived…
“Mary.”
Had she arrived already?
There was someone else besides the heroine who was important for Dedrick.
I had to make sure they got connected this time!
“Mary!”
“Oh!”
I turned around in surprise.
“Sorry, I’m not used to having a name…”
I didn’t realize he was calling me.
“It’s okay.”
Dedrick approached me, wearing the banquet outfit Delani had given him.
On the surface, she acted like a kind stepmother, so she had prepared an outfit that fit him perfectly.
I straightened his crooked tie and checked his appearance.
Thanks to his training, the outfit looked really good on him. His long bangs made him look a bit gloomy, but that was exactly how Delani wanted him to appear.
“Hmm, you look handsome!”
“I don’t want to go…”
He sighed, mumbling.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll follow you around!”
“…Really?”
“Of course!”
I was going to stick to him closely.
Since I knew what Delani was planning, I had to help him avoid it.
Before leaving, I gave him a final warning.
“Don’t look at me, don’t answer me no matter what I say. Act like I’m not there, okay?”
“I’ll try.”
“Good!”
We let go of each other’s hands and stepped outside.
As soon as we did, we saw Somerset.
He had been leaning against a wall but straightened up when Dedrick appeared.
When did he get here?
But I wasn’t worried that he had overheard our conversation. The main building had excellent soundproofing, so I could talk freely inside without fear.
Sure enough, Somerset hadn’t heard anything. Instead, he smirked and sneered.
“You really wore what Mother gave you? Do you have no pride?”
You’re the one with no pride.
After everything that happened, he still had the nerve to pick a fight.
I had been wondering why he had been quiet for a while… But the moment the Grand Duke was gone, he started acting up again.
Somerset looked Dedrick up and down.
Since Dedrick had hunched his shoulders and kept his posture awkward, Somerset seemed pleased.
“Not much to see here.”
“…….”
“Go ahead. I’ll be entering late.”
Then, he slapped Dedrick’s shoulder.
“The main character always arrives last.”
“…….”
“And you should feel guilty.”
Guilty?
For what?
“Because of you, Joanna almost wasn’t invited.”
Almost…?
So Joanna was invited after all?
‘She was supposed to be invited in the original story.’
Originally, Dedrick wasn’t involved, so there were no problems.
But this time, since he had clashed with Delani, she had taken Joanna off the guest list.
“I had to step in and make sure she got invited.”
Ah, so Somerset must have begged Delani to allow Joanna to attend.
‘It does not seem like things were forced by the original story.’
Somerset just liked Joanna that much.
‘Anyway, focus.’
He glared at Dedrick and gave one final warning.
“If you hover around Joanna again, you’ll be humiliated in front of everyone.”
“You’re the one who’ll be humiliated!”
I shouted, but Somerset didn’t hear me and just walked past him.
“Let’s go, Didi.”
But suddenly, Dedrick turned around and went back inside the room.
“That’s not the way to the banquet hall.”
He gestured for me to come in.
Did he have something to say?
I quietly followed him, and he quickly shut the door before speaking.
“I have absolutely no relationship with Miss Primrose. I don’t have any feelings for her.”
“Huh?”
“So… no matter what happens, don’t misunderstand.”
“Huh? I won’t.”
If I were going to misunderstand something, it would be about the heroine, not Joanna.
And if Dedrick really had any interest in Joanna, he would’ve mentioned her at least once. But he acted as if she didn’t even exist.
Only then did he sigh in relief.
Pulling me along, he said, “Let’s go. Oh, and if I need to say something but can’t talk, I’ll blink three times in a row. When I do, follow me. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Not that I needed a signal—I was going to follow him anyway.
Finally, we headed to the banquet hall.
“Do you understand? Just apologize and say it was your fault!”
‘The young lord Somerset likes you, so why do you keep rejecting him?’
“It’s the prestigious Blackwood Duchy, dear. Even if you don’t like him now, you’ll change your mind when you grow up. The Duchess was kind enough to forgive you, so make sure you thank her.”
Joanna clenched her fists, frustrated by her parents’ nagging voices echoing in her mind.
“Why am I always the one who has to endure…?”
She had told them over and over again—she didn’t want to be the duchess!
Joanna felt suffocated.
Ever since that day, the memory of Somerset’s smiling face as he hit someone wouldn’t leave her mind. It haunted her, and she had suffered because of it.
